


Like Shrines to Broken Hearts

by lucidscreamer



Series: 100 Yu-Gi-Oh Prompts [20]
Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Romance Novel, Alternate Universe - Vampire, Daydreams, Egyptologist Yugi, Eventual Happy Ending, F/M, Flashbacks, Humor, Light Angst, M/M, Magic, Reincarnation, Vampire Lord Atem, Yugi is not a reincarnation of Atem, Yugi is the reincarnation of Mut-tuy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-17
Updated: 2019-08-08
Packaged: 2020-06-30 00:37:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,304
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19841875
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lucidscreamer/pseuds/lucidscreamer
Summary: Attending a conference in the beautiful Solitaire Islands, Egyptologist Yugi Mutou encounters intriguing hotel owner Yami King, a man with a mysterious past and a  fascinating present. Yami's Egyptian themed hotel is also fascinating for Yugi, who has long been obsessed with the so-called "Lost Pharaoh", Neferatemre. Yami may know more than he wants to admit about the pharaoh of Yugi's dreams, but can Yugi discover the truth? Or will his obsession blind him to what is right in front of him?---Staring into his reflection in the water, Yugi let his mind drift as he recalled some of his favorite flights of fancy. He was never alone in his daydreams, though. There was always someone else there, the someone who had haunted Yugi's thoughts almost since the moment Yugi had learned of him -- Neferatemre, Lord of the Two Lands.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> prompt: 79. Obsession (100 YGO Themes)  
> prompt: 04. Sex (10 Vampires)
> 
> Series: 100 YGO Prompts  
> Series: Weighing of the Heart
> 
> Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh! is the creation of Kazuki Takahashi. No ownership of the canon characters, settings, or events is claimed and none should be implied.
> 
> Original vampire lore in this series is the sole property of Lucidscreamer. The lines of poetry in the first chapter are based on a real ancient Egyptian love poem, but are not a direct quote.
> 
> NOTE: In this universe there's no "Nameless Pharaoh" but rather a "Lost Pharaoh". No prizes for guessing who that is. ;)
> 
> Very vaguely inspired by an old romance novel in terms of the setting and set-up (the pool scene), but I won't be using any of the plot or characters from that (and I can't recall the title, sorry), and the backstories are all mine. This is very much a WIP and subject to revision. Also, as you may have gathered from the second prompt up there, this fic will feature rather more 'intimate' scenes than I normally write. Here's hoping I don't embarrass myself too badly.

Stepping out of the airport shuttle in front of the Pharaoh's Palace Hotel and Casino, Yugi Mutou fairly thrummed with excitement. He tilted his head back and gawked up at the towering façade. The building was designed to mimic the style of an ancient Egyptian palace facade, though on a far grander scale than even those monumental builders had ever attempted. Red and white walls soared toward the sky, and tall flagpoles before the entrance held snapping standards that announced the king was in residence. A natural stone paved avenue lined with dom palms interspersed with ram-headed sphinxes led toward the entrance. Yugi started along the sidewalk, barely watching where he was going as he tried to take in everything at once.

He had been looking forward to this ever since learning that the convention was being held in the Solitaire Archipelago, home of the Pharaoh's Palace. The grand hotel was supposed to house some of the most authentic replicas of a certain time period in ancient Egyptian history anywhere in the world and Yugi was determined to spend as much time as he could studying them. In fact, he was more excited about seeing the replicas than he was about the actual convention. If not for its location, he probably would've begged off attending. But the promise of seeing the replicas on exhibit trumped his desire not to be stuck with his co-workers for a week on an isolated, if beautiful, tropical island.

So it was with barely contained excitement that he hurried up to the hotel entrance, a pylon gate that dwarfed the crowd of tourists milling in and out of the doors. Instantly, Yugi's gaze was drawn to the bright paintings decorating the visible walls. Yugi's specialties were epigraphy and papyrology and, while the glimmering displays in the glass cases scattered around the atrium looked intriguing in their own right, it was the paintings and hieroglyphic texts on the walls that drew him like a moth to a flame.

As he wandered through the spacious atrium, Yugi's thoughts turned to his upcoming presentation on the newly re-translated love poems of the Pharaoh Neferatemre. There was much controversy surrounding the attribution, but Yugi felt confident staking his professional reputation on it. He was certain the texts were the work of that mysterious pharaoh -- a pharaoh whose life and death had become something of an obsession for him -- and he wasn't about to back down.

Before long though, the beauty of the space he was in drew his attention away from work. The atrium was an open, airy space designed to resemble the walled courtyards of ancient Egypt. Even the distant ceiling was painted, in this case to resemble a clear blue sky, and surrounded a soaring vault that terminated in the biggest skylight he had ever seen. Palm trees, figs, and papyrus grew in enormous planters around the edges of the room. A shallow pool in the center held water lilies and small, darting fish. The air was pleasantly cool and fresh, and held the subtle perfume of clean water and growing plants.

Yugi paused to admire a larger-than-life-sized statue of a pharaoh, striding confidently forward with a scepter in one hand. The carved stone features were handsome and serene, the statue's gaze fixed on eternity. At the king's side, the smaller figure of his lovely wife rested her hands on his arms in an affectionate embrace. Bending at the waist, Yugi read the brass plaque on the statue's base: "Pharaoh Neferatemre and his beloved Great Wife Mut-tuy.

If Yugi hadn't known that nothing of this size had ever been found for the pharaoh in question, he would have thought it genuine. Even so, the statue was a masterpiece, carved from a single block of stone and painted in bright colors. Both the King and the King's Great Wife wore pristine white linen and colorful jewelry in shades of red, green, blue, and gold. Rock crystal eyes gave the statues such a life-like expression that Yugi almost expected to see the pharaoh's bare chest rise and fall with his breath.

Stooping a bit lower, Yugi read the inscription carved into the base of the statue. The text, which wrapped around the base, praised the king and wished him a long life. In an oval cartouche the king's throne name sat beneath more of his many titles and epithets: _the Golden Horus_ _Neferatemre, Lord of the Two Lands, given life eternally like Re_.

Straightening, Yugi let his gaze meander over the many glass cases displaying gold and bead broad-collars and bracelets, gilded wooden furniture, even a full-scale replica of a royal chariot that shone with gold and electrum in the spotlights. Obviously, the owner had spared no expense in outfitting the hotel-casino with these exhibits; they were numerous and fascinating, exquisitely done reproductions that he would have taken for the real things if not for the fact that most of them bore the name of a pharaoh many believed didn't even exist. Yugi wandered among the displays, drawn from one impossible thing to another, avidly reading the placards and inscriptions.

But it was to the hieroglyphic text on the walls that his gaze kept returning. Epigraphy was his first love, after all. In vertical columns surrounding beautiful paintings depicting the pharaoh at various royal activities ranging from fighting battles to hunting game birds in the papyrus marsh to making offerings in the temple, the writings told the story of the mysterious pharaoh's life. It was fascinating reading, though of course it was mostly fiction. After all, the history of Pharaoh Neferatemre was sketchy, at best. In fact, Yugi's ancestors had discovered most of what was currently known about the so-called "Lost Pharaoh," and their obsession with him had been passed down from generation to generation like some strange family heirloom.

Following the wall text, Yugi didn't notice when it led him down a long hallway and away from the noisy, crowded casino area. The atmosphere grew hushed and peaceful, the thick carpet beneath his feet giving way to glossy tiles decorated with vibrant images of water lilies and Nile fish. On the walls, the paintings became scenes from the pharaoh's daily life, and gardens replaced battlefields. The Pharaoh and his Great Wife listened to musicians playing harps and flutes, watched acrobatic dancers, walked amid bright flowers and exotic trees, and played endless games of _senet_ on exquisitely carved wooden gameboards.

Pausing before an image of the Pharaoh annointing his wife's neck with perfume, Yugi read the inscription framing the painting and was startled to realize it was from one of the poems he had attributed to the Lost Pharaoh. Coincidence? Or did whoever created these murals agree with his theory? Perhaps they'd simply selected a likely poem from the available translations, but... He hurried to the next panel, anxious to see if it yielded another familiar poem. It did, as did the one after it. Yugi hurried along, barely aware of his surroundings beyond the words on the walls.

At some point, he began to read the inscriptions aloud. _Her beauty is without rival. She shines like Sop-det, rising at the start of the good New Year, perfect and bright..._ His voice echoed back to him in the deserted space, and the unexpected sound startled him from his reverie.

Blinking, he looked around, surprised to find himself at a dead end lit by muted sunlight filtering down from a skylight. Apparently, he had discovered some kind of indoor garden. Large ceramic containers held pink and white cyclamen, neat rows of aloes, clumps of dwarf papyrus, and several miniature dom palms.

Before him, surrounded on three sides by the containers, lay a rectangular pool with three shallow steps leading into the clear water. Fish darted among the roots of the floating plants. The water's surface held the broad green leaves and vibrant blue flowers of a water lily, echoing the designs on the surrounding tiles. The heavy perfume of the blooms drew him closer to the water's edge and, as one in a dream, he knelt and dipped his fingers in the water. The ripples stirred the nearest plants into gentle, bobbing motion -- and flooded his mind with a strange sense of _déjà-vu_. Maybe it was because this secluded space reminded him of art he'd seen of ancient palace gardens? Or maybe it the similarity to places he'd conjured up in daydreams.

Staring into his reflection in the water, Yugi let his mind drift as he recalled some of those flights of fancy. He was never alone in his daydreams, though. There was always someone else there, the someone who had haunted Yugi's thoughts almost since the moment Yugi had learned of him -- Neferatemre, Lord of the Two Lands.

Sighing wistfully, Yugi fell into a waking dream.

o0o

It was as if the paintings around him had come to life _and pulled him in_.

He stood in one of the private gardens of the Great House, a reflecting pool before him. The evening air was warm and scented with the heady perfume of the water lilies, though the blooms had already begun to close for the night. Unseen birds twittered in the branches of the sycamore fig. The sky overhead was burnished with gold as the Great Lord Re sank toward the western horizon, becoming Atum-Re as He descended to begin His nightly journey through the Duat. Everything was peaceful, welcoming. Yugi dropped his single, thin garment to the ground and stepped down into the lotus pool. The water felt heavenly on his heated skin. He sighed with contentment, breathing in the scent of the water, the plants and flowers... and frankincense. His heart began to beat faster as he recognized the scent. There was only one person who wore that scent and had access to this garden.

"Beloved _."_

The familiar endearment, combined with the fragrance of temple incense and perfumed oils let Yugi knew who stood behind him. Yugi smiled, eyes stll closed, as the water rippled around him with the movement of another body. A moment passed, and then strong arms wrapped around him. He glanced over his shoulder and the world fell away as his gaze met familiar, beloved eyes.

"Your Majesty."

"We are alone, dear one _,_ " Pharaoh's deep voice chided gently as his hands stroked lightly up Yugi's arms, leaving a trail of heat in their wake. "There is no need for such formality between us now."

"There _is_." Yugi shivered as the king's hands cupped his shoulders, steadying Yugi in the tepid water. Pharaoh's breath caressed Yugi's bare skin as the space between them diminished. The glide of skin on skin felt like silk, soft and slick and decadent. "You are _Pharaoh_ \-- a god!"

"And a man." As if to prove it, Pharaoh's grasp tightened and he pulled Yugi even closer, until his arousal rubbed against Yugi's buttocks. "Do you require a reminder?"

 _Oh, yes! Please_ , Yugi thought. With a gasp of delight, he leaned into the firm body behind him. His own body lit up with desire, bright sparks trembling along his nerve endings from every place the two them touched. " _My Pharaoh_..." He whispered the title like an endearment. To him, it was. "My love..."

In response, Pharaoh turned Yugi in his arms. Again, the warm slide of bare skin sent Yugi shivering. It felt so good to be in this man's arms, to breathe in the scent of him -- freshly applied unguents and oils, just a hint of clean sweat -- and to press himself close, knowing he was welcomed. Wanted. Favored above all others.

Reaching up, Yugi allowed himself the pleasure of sliding his hands along the sun-bronzed skin of the king's bare chest, his broad shoulders. Pharaoh watched him with eyes that darkened more with every caress of Yugi's palms. Yugi slipped his fingers around to the back of the king's neck, tugging him down as Yugi lifted himself up, offering his softly parted lips.

With a groan, Pharaoh claimed Yugi's mouth in a fierce kiss, drawing a low moan of pleasure from Yugi's throat. Yugi's fingers clutched at the other man, pulling him closer. Their bodies pressed tightly together, almost molding to one another in a way that left no doubt Pharaoh had removed his garments before entering the pool. His lover's hands glided lower in a silken caress, fingers finding Yugi's back then tracing the line of his spine down to the curve of his ass. His palms cupped Yugi, lifting him even closer so that their erections met.

Yugi wrapped both legs around his lover's waist, clutching at Pharaoh's broad shoulders to hold himself up so that Pharaoh could free a hand to grasp them both. Panting, Yugi clung to his lover. His breath came faster and faster, in time with Pharaoh's hand on him. He was so close. He could feel the tension coiling ever tighter--

o0o

Something, a noise or a sudden change in the atmosphere, shattered Yugi's fantasy into irretrievable shards. With a gasp, he came back to himself, aware of the prickling sensation of being watched. Yugi leaped to his feet and spun, flushed with arousal and embarrassment, and lost his balance on the slick tiles. His feet skidded out from under him and, with a started yelp, Yugi tumbled backward toward the water.

 _Oh, shit_. The thought flashed through his mind as he fell. _This is going to hurt!_

But rather than hitting the water, something caught him, held him in a firm grip and pulled him upright against something warm and solid. Still shocked and a bit dazed, it took Yugi a second to realize that what held him wasn't something but _someone_. A man, in fact, he saw as he was turned in the others grasp so that they faced one another. A man that was holding Yugi and looking down at him with narrowed eyes, as if he suspected Yugi of some nefarious deed. There was something regal and almost familiar about the stranger and, for one crazy moment, Yugi wondered if one of the paintings of the Lost Pharaoh had stepped down from the walls to save him.

The deep blue of lapis lazuli, the man's eyes were framed in thick inky lashes so dark it almost looked as if he had lined his eyes with kohl. He had a sharp, handsome face with high cheekbones and a sensuous if cruel mouth. Fleetingly, the question flashed through Yugi's mind of what it would be like to kiss that mouth.

Blushing, Yugi could only hope there was no outward sign of where his mind had been before he was startled out of his reverie.

His rescuer's eyes narrowed even further. "Who _are_ you?"

"Um, Yugi." Caught up in the stranger's gaze, Yugi actually had to concentrate for a second to remember his full name. "Mutou. Uh, _Doctor_ Mutou, actually."

Yugi ducked his head and scratched at the back of his neck. Wow, he really knew how to make a first impression, didn't he? If his cheeks got any hotter, they'd likely burst into actual flame. Without raising his head again, he peeked at the stranger through the shield of his disheveled bangs, cleared his throat, and said more firmly, "I'm Yugi Mutou."

"Hm. I'm the owner of this hotel, Yami King. You will call me Yami." It sounded more like a royal command than a polite request.

Yugi decided to let it slide. He supposed the very rich were accustomed to getting their way. Besides, he liked the idea of calling this man by his given name. Still... "Only if you call me Yugi."

"Done." Yami's eyes warmed just a bit. "...Yugi."

Well, at least now Yugi knew why his rescuer looked familiar. Yami King, was every bit as handsome in person as he appeared in the publicity photos Yugi had seen on the hotel's website. In fact, he was even more impressive in person.

Yugi's fascinated glance took in the unruly dark hair glinting with auburn highlights, the elegantly tailored suit accentuating the equally elegant, leanly-muscled body beneath it. Yami's stance was regal, if relaxed, one hand tucked into his pocket. A faint frown marred his brow.

"And what are you doing in this corridor, ...Yugi?" he asked. His voice was deep and compelling; it caressed Yugi's ears like midnight wrapped in velvet.

"I wanted to… That is, the exhibits and wall paintings here are… I was following the paintings, reading the texts and I..." Yugi's face felt as if it were on fire. He gave a helpless shrug, flustered and embarrassed and other things he was refusing to acknowledge for fear they'd make the first two worse.

Yami's expression cleared. "I assure you, I am far from insulted that you find the design of my hotel so fascinating. After all, that is part of its purpose." His voice was still deep, but it was warmer now, less imitimidating. "However, this section is not yet open to the public."

"Oh! I'm so sorry. I don't know how I... I mean..."

"No harm done. Though I may have to rethink the design of the pool here, if it's so easy for someone to almost fall in."

By this point, Yugi was certain he could roast marshmallows on his blush.

"Yeah, I guess so." Yugi coughed up an embarrassed little laugh. However, a glance at the nearest wall was all it took to banish his mortification and offer a welcome change of topic. "These are some of the most authentic reproductions I've ever seen. Even the hieroglyphic writing is correct, although I've never seen these exact texts depicted elsewhere."

"You can read the inscriptions?" Yami looked both surprised and skeptical. "You understand the hieroglyphic writing?"

"I'm an Egyptologist -- actually, my specialties are epigraphy and papyrology. Uh, that is, I study ancient writings and texts," Yugi said by way of explanation. "You must have had a talented epigrapher create them for you. They tell a new story, yet they feel absolutely authentic."

"You could say that." Yami smirked faintly. "We have several consultants on staff to ensure verisimilitude. Of course, one must make allowances for artistic license, since so little is actually known about this particular pharaoh or his life."

It took biting his tongue, but Yugi managed to refrain from offering his services for any future additions or renovations. But, oh, wouldn't _that_ be a dream job? Working not only with his favorite part of Egyptian history, but with the handsome owner of the Pharaoh's Palace, too? Yugi sighed. Ah, well. He enjoyed his current job, he really did. He just wished he could find a way to make his peers take his research more seriously.

"I could spend hours just wandering the hallways and taking in all the exhibits and wall paintings."

"Well, then, allow me offer you a private tour."

"Oh, no... I wouldn't want to impose upon you!"

"It's no imposition, _Yugi_. Grant me the pleasure of showing you my creation. It's one I rarely get to indulge in, at least not to such an... _appreciative_ audience."

"When you put it that way, how can I refuse?"


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is in Yami's POV. 
> 
> Please note: If you're one of those readers who skims for dialogue -- (a) how do you get anything from any of my stories, since 90 percent of them take place inside the characters' heads? and (b) if you do that with this chapter, you will miss /everything/ since the dialogue is the same as chapter one, but the internal "action" is completely different. That said, do what you gotta do. Just don't complain to me if you only read the dialogue and end up not knowing what's going on.

Absently, Yami King traced his thumb over the heavy gold ring on his left index finger. The bezel held a scarab carved from a large carnelian. It had been a gift from one of his courtiers at Yami's ascension to the throne. The reverse side of the scarab bore dual cartouches enclosing two of his names -- his true names, reminders of his true self, of his eternal duty to _ma'at_. After all, even death did not release a Pharaoh from his royal duties. It merely changed the manner in which he dealt with them.

A strange tension hung heavy in the air around him -- one of dread as much as anticipation; it worried at him like a jackal with a bone. Or perhaps it was simply the burden of three millennia finally catching up with him. He could admit, at least within his own thoughts, that he was tired. Tired of his burden, of his duties. Tired of being alone. His heart ached with the loss of his beloved, though three thousand years had gone by since her passing. In all that time, he had met no one who could replace her.

His shoulders sagged a bit beneath his bespoke suit jacket before he firmed them. A king -- even a king without a country -- did not slouch. He turned to the nearby table and retrieved a crystal goblet which he held up to the light, distracting himself with the play of light on the cut facets of the crystal and the crimson liquid within. The sharp, coppery scent filled his nostrils as he lifted the goblet to his lips.

As soon as he'd taken the first sip, he felt the Shadows stir awake within his veins. They clamored at his mind, demanding to be fed. Sighing, he downed the rest of the blood quickly, not bothering to savor it. In order to feed his Shadows, he had to ingest the blood, then spill it for them after it had been changed by his body. Lifting his hands, he formed a talon on the index finger of one hand and used to it to slash the palm of the other. Blood pooled sluggishly in the cup of his hand and the Shadows swarmed into being around him, a riot of black and purple tendrils twisting and twining in the air. Greedily, they converged on the hand he offered to them, lapping at his blood.

With studied indifference, he watched them feed. Weariness tugged at him again, threatening to turn his limbs to lead. It took all of his resolve to push through it, to force himself to stand tall and firm beneath the crushing weight that tried to turn him to stone.

Something brushed against his senses then, scattering the Shadows like fish before a cast net. His ennui fled. Instantly alert, he dropped the glass, not even hearing the ring of the fine crystal as it clipped the edge of the table before striking the carpeted floor. Spilled blood spattered across the carpet, blending with the crimson fibers. He directed his attention outward, his senses attuned to the familiar rhythms of his domain. He sliced open his flesh with a newly-formed talon, cupping the blood which seeped slowly from the wound in his hand as he collected a palmful of his Shadows and sent them to find whatever had disturbed the familiar security of his domain.

He should have waited for the Shadows to return with their reports, but impatience and growing unease drove him from his penthouse apartment to wander the halls of the luxury hotel, seeking the source of the disturbance. He could feel the Shadows' agitation even now, their unease adding to his own, as he stalked down a deserted section of corridor that led to one of the quiet lotus pools scattered around the lower floors of the hotel.

He inhaled deeply, drawing in the scent of water, water lilies in bloom, and… a solitary human male. His eyebrows twitched in a combination of amusement and confusion as he realized that this particular human male was also sexually aroused. Yami felt a strange premonition that his comfortable (predictable) existence was about to be shaken to its core.

His boot heels silent on the tile floor, Yami King entered the alcove. The human stood before the shallow pool, obviously lost in thought. Yami noted the man's spiky hair, at odds with the conservative gray suit, as he stepped toward him. He made no sound, but something must have betrayed his presence because the young man startled, leaping up and spinning to face him. The human's feet shot out from under him and he flailed as he fell toward the pool. Without hesitation, Yami leaped forward and caught the man in his arms, saving him from a nasty fall. Keeping a firm grip, Yami backed a step or two away from the pool before turning the human to face him.

Tilting his head to one side, Yami studied the young man he had rescued. The top of his head, hair and all, barely came up to Yami's collarbones. His nose and mouth were small, his cheeks sweetly rounded, and his eyes large and impossibly blue. The overall effect should have been comical. Instead, Yami found himself charmed. He studied the bright red flush that ran from the man's cheeks all the way down to the neck revealed by the open collar of his shirt. The rapid flutter of the human's heart seemed to resonate within Yami's own breast and the rich, metallic aroma of blood flooded his senses. A desire to _know_ , as he had not felt in centuries, ignited Yami's atrophied curiosity. Giving in to temptation, he let a slim tendril of his Shadows go forth, reaching for the human's thoughts…

Shock froze him as a barrier as solid as the thick mudbrick walls of an ancient fortress blocked his probe. Stunned, Yami shoved harder at the other's mind. Nothing. No emotions or knowledge, no revelation of the human's heart. The barrier, whatever it might be, held firm despite his best efforts. This was unprecedented. Since becoming Shadowed, Yami had learned to use his Shadows in many ways, including seeing into the true hearts of others. Yet, this man deflected Yami's power without conscious effort. Who was this human that he could deny Yami's will at a seeming whim?

 _And are you no longer human, O king_? his mind sneered at him. It was a question he had asked himself before, and one for which he had no definitive answer. Perhaps no longer human, but -- _oh_ , a man still for all that. Looking at this human and feeling the stab of lust in his gut, Yami knew _that_ , at least. He could smell the blood in the other man's veins, hear the rapid flutter of his heartbeat -- and, sense the lingering traces of lust in the man's scent, overlaid now with embarrassment. That was... odd.

It took a moment for Yami to gain sufficient control over his surprise that his voice would not betray him when he asked, in a deceptively mild tone,

"Who _are_ you?"

"Um, Yugi."

Forcing himself to remain patient, Yami waited for more to follow. After an awkward moment, it did.

"Mutou. Uh, Doctor Mutou, actually." The other man -- Yugi, apparently -- ducked his head, but added with more conviction, "I'm Yugi Mutou."

"Hm. I'm the owner of this hotel, Yami King. You will call me Yami." Normally, he wouldn't offer his name so casually, but there was something intriguing about this man even beyond his ability to block Yami's Shadows.

"Only if you call me Yugi." Yugi seemed to be regaining his metaphorical footing along with his physical one, speaking more easily and finally meeting Yami's gaze with his own.

Yami nodded. "Done. ...Yugi." He watched recognition bloom in Yugi's eyes and briefly cursed the publicity his underlings had insisted was necessary for the success of the hotel. "And what are you doing in this corridor, Yugi?"

"I wanted to… That is, the exhibits and wall paintings here are… I was following the paintings, reading the texts and I..." Yugi blushed quite beautifully when he was flustered. It made Yami want to fluster him all the more. And there was something almost familliar about that...

Not letting himself dwell on it, Yami assured him no insult had been taken. "However, this section is not yet open to the public."

"Oh! I'm so sorry. I don't know how I... I mean..."

"No harm done. Though I may have to rethink the design of the pool here, if it's so easy for someone to almost fall in." Yami watched as Yugi reacted to his gentle teasing by blushing even more brightly. He could practically feel the heat radiating off the human's face from where he stood. Yami's hand twitched at his side, an aborted attempt to reach out and touch that heat. Again, there was a puzzling sense of familiarity, as if of some memory lurking just beyond his conscious reach.

Yugi murmured something in agreement, with a laugh that was half sigh, and his gaze was quick to flick away to settle on the wall decorations. "These are some of the most authentic reproductions I've ever seen. Even the hieroglyphic writing is correct, although I've never seen these exact texts depicted elsewhere."

Suprised, Yami furrowed his brow. The ability to read the sacred words was not a common one even in his mortal days. "You can read the inscriptions? You understand the hieroglyphic writing?"

"I'm an Egyptologist -- actually, my specialties are epigraphy and papyrology. Uh, that is, I study ancient writings and texts."

Ah. Well, that explained his knowledge of the ancient language. It did not explain how he could so easily escape the grasp of Yami's power -- nor did it explain the Shadows' reaction to him. Or why Yami kept feeling that strange sense of familiarity, of something more lurking just beneath the surface...

Unaware of Yami's confused thoughts, Yugi added, "You must have had a talented epigrapher create them for you. They tell a new story, yet they feel absolutely authentic."

It took some effort for Yami to hide his amusement. He babbled something about constructing fictional narratives from the sparce existing accounts of the actual pharaoh's life, the same pretty lie they'd put in all the promotional material for the hotel. All about exhaustive research and talented artists and creative license.

Of course, all they had to do was go to the source. Yami glanced at the nearest wall, which held a domestic scene: a garden pavillion sheltering the royal couple as they fed each other dates. Songbirds fluttered in the greenery and a striped cat sat primly beneath the pharaoh's throne. He remembered days like that with his beloved wife. The pain of missing her was never far from his heart, even after so many centuries. The agony of knowing he could never join her in the afterlife was even worse.

"I could spend hours just wandering the hallways and taking in all the exhibits and wall paintings," Yugi confessed, with a revernce in his hushed voice that only underscored his sincerity.

Yami found it oddly endearing, which unsettled him even more. He wasn't used to finding humans endearing. "Well, then," he found himself saying. "Allow me offer you a private tour."

"Oh, no... I wouldn't want to impose upon you!"

"It's no imposition, Yugi." Indeed, it had suddenly become an imperative. Yami needed to spend more time with this human, needed to figure out what it was about him that had such an affect on Yami. No one had made him feel so many conflicting emotions and sensations since... He shook himself, refusing to complete the thought. "Grant me the pleasure of showing you my creation. It's one I rarely get to indulge in, at least not to such an... appreciative audience."

"When you put it that way, how can I refuse?"

Yami simply smiled, relieved not to have to press the issue. For his own peace of mind, this was one invitation he could not have allowed Yugi to refuse.


	3. Chapter 3

"So, how did you decide to become an archaeologist?" Yami asked as they walked. He sounded only mildly curious.

"Oh, it runs in the family." Yugi chuckled. "My ancestors were playing treasure hunter back before archaeology became a respectable occupation."

His however-many-greats-grandfather Sugoroku Mutou had been quite the adventurer in his day. He'd gotten into all kinds of trouble: gambling, smuggling, womanizing, and had, of course, spent considerable time robbing tombs in Egypt. Later generations had been more above board; the Mutou family had plunged enthusiastically into the developing field of archaeology, some even working for notables such as Flinders Petrie and Radcliffe Emerson. It tended to be a family affair; more than one of his grandmothers had served as an expedition artist for her husband or brother. The family still had folios of their glorious watercolors, painted when newly uncovered tombs and temples still bore more than traces of their original bright colors. As a child, Yugi had been fascinated by the paintings, and had liked to imagine himself stepping into them like Alice through the looking glass, off to explore fantastic worlds.

Yugi sighed. "This was before modern ideas of archaeology, so documentation is sparse. But at least my ancestors weren't 'excavating' with explosives unlike some of their contemporaries."

"Like Belzoni." Disapproval rang clearly in Yami's voice.

"That's certainly one example," Yugi agreed with a wince. And a good one; Giovanni Belzoni's preferred method of removing obstacles during an excavation was to dynamite them. Yugi was surprised that a businessman like Yami had heard of Belzoni. But Yami did seem to have more than a passing interest in ancient Egypt and -- given the theme of his hotel -- perhaps it wasn't all that surprising after all.

"Tell me," Yami said, "were your ancestors searching for anything specific or were they simply adventurers and treasure hunters?"

The blush on Yugi's cheeks darkened. "Well, I suppose they would've been happy finding something impressive -- mummy cases and gold jewelry -- but my family has tended to focus on a particular period in Egyptian history almost exclusively and, given how scarce the physical evidence is, I'd say they were more interested in knowledge than monetary gain."

"Oh?" Yami cocked an eyebrow and tilted his head scrutinize Yugi, who was put in mind of a hunting falcon eyeing its potential dinner.

"An interest in the reign of the Pharaoh Neferatemre sort of runs in my family." Yugi rubbed the back of his neck. "That's one reason I find all of this--" He waved a hand at the paintings on the walls. "--so intriguing. I mean, I know most of it is fabricated to fit your theme here, but it's all so realistic. I can almost imagine--"

Yugi cut himself off, mid-sentence. The things he could imagine were best left in the privacy of his own head, he thought, feeling himself flush as he remembered his earlier daydream. What on earth had possessed him to indulge in such a lascivious fantasy while in public? He'd never been given to exhibitionism before. He could only be glad that things hadn't progressed further before Yami interrupted him.

"I mean," Yugi said, yanking his thoughts back to the here and now. "The texts are so authentic, surely you must have had something, some original source to base them on?"

"As you surmised before, we've made every effort at historical accuracy. Whenever possible, of course."

"I know, but that's what's so confusing!" Yugi gestured emphatically at the nearest wall painting. "There shouldn't be this much historical evidence for you to use. The Lost Pharaoh is my specialty and, believe me, I've gone over every scrap of papyrus, every _ostracon_ , all of my family's records, anything that might hold even the tiniest reference... I've never found as much as you seem to have, and I don't understand how that's possible!"

Yami gave an indifferent shrug, not seeming to understand the source of Yugi's frustration. "I suppose that I have very good resources at my disposal."

And there was that secretive smirk again. Yugi couldn't decide whether he wanted to kiss it or smack it off Yami's obnoxiously handsome face.

"Well, I'd be very interested to know what those resources are," Yugi said, and for the first time, there was something sharp and almost desperate in his tone.

He had spent so much of his life chasing every hint of the Lost Pharaoh's presence in the historical record, scouring obscure documents left by previous archaeologists (amateur as well as professional), even tracing folktales whose only remnants had been passed down by word of mouth. The diaries and letters left by his ancestors had been invaluable in his hunt, but even those often held little more than tantalizing glimpses of a larger narrative.

As if surprised by the shift in Yugi's demeanor, Yami narrowed his eyes to him a closer look. "If you could explain why this matters so much to you, perhaps I could be persuaded to share my resources." Yami tilted his head as he studied Yugi. "Is it merely family pride that motivates you?"

"N-no..." Yugi faltered, his gaze skittering away from Yami's. It was so much more than defending his family's honor, so much more personal than that. But it wasn't something he'd ever admitted to anyone, not even to his best friend, much less a complete stranger. "It's difficult to explain."

"Try." Again with the commands. And Yami King didn't sound like someone accustomed to being disobeyed.

With a sigh, Yugi turned his back to Yami and stared at the nearest painting. He'd never manage to get the words out if he could see the derision he suspected would soon grace the other man's features. "It sounds crazy when I say it out loud..."

He heard the subtle _shush_ of cloth brushing against itself, as if Yami had shifted positions behind him. And then a large hand rested gently on Yugi's shoulder, and Yami's deep voice -- so close that his breath caressed Yugi's ear -- murmured, "I promise to keep an open mind."

A delicious shiver trembled down Yugi's spine and he was once again reminded of his daydream by the lotus pool. Tingles of warmth seemed to spark from the spot where Yami was touching him and flow through Yugi's veins. How did this keep happening? No one else had ever affected him so strongly or so strangely. His mind tried to drift back into his earlier fantasy--No! Now was not the time! Forcibly, Yugi wrenched his attention back to the conversation at hand. Keeping an open mind sounded good, but Yugi was beginning to think that his was too open; his thoughts kept falling out.

Reluctantly, Yugi moved to put some distance between them. He couldn't think with Yami so close. "It's, um, kind of personal."

"How can something that took place thousands of years ago be personal?" Yami asked, sounding skeptical.

Yami's expression was neutral when Yugi convinced himself to meet the other man's gaze. Still, Yugi's shoulders lifted until they almost touched his ears as he hunched a bit in anticipation. This was the reason he'd never told anyone the real 'why' behind his obsession. "...I don't know. It just is, I guess."

Yugi simply didn't know Yami well enough to tell him how Yugi had always been more than merely fascinated by Neferatemre. How he'd begun to dream about the pharaoh, fantasize about him... What did it say about Yugi that he had fallen in love with a man who'd been dead for three thousand years?

"So, tell me about your work," Yami said, not even bothering to be subtle about the change in conversational topic. Yugi was so relieved he could have kissed him. "You're here for the conference?"

"Oh, yes. I'm presenting a new paper on my recent translation of a body of previously unattributed love poems." As he warmed to his topic, Yugi felt the tension draining from his shoulders. "A few of them have been translated before, some multiple times, but I was never completely satisfied with any of the translations and, once I began working on them myself, I realized that there were similarities in language and style that couldn't be accounted for merely by the--"

Once again, Yugi cut himself short. "Sorry, I tend to get carried away with shop talk. It's all just so exciting for me."

"It's wonderful to see someone so enthusiastic about his work," Yami demurred, with a faint smile.

Seeing that there wasn't anything mocking in the other man's expression, Yugi relaxed. "So, anyway, I did some new translations and quite a lot of research, and I'm positive that these particular poems are all the work of Pharaoh Neferatemre."

Yami gave him a sharp glance. "How can you be so sure?"

"Well, as I said, I did a lot of research... I won't bore you with the details, but there was enough evidence to convince me." Yugi sighed. "Now I just have to convince everyone else. Some of my colleagues are already calling me a crackpot."

"Is this attribution really so important?" Yami asked. There was something almost wistful in his voice. "Surely something so controversial is not worth risking your professional reputation over?"

Squaring his shoulders and lifting his chin, Yugi disagreed. It definitely was worth it to him, but he wasn't sure he could articulate why. Sometimes, he didn't completely understand it himself.

Instead, he chose to change the subject again, if only slightly. "I couldn't help but notice that you have some of the poems in question on your hotel walls," he said, glancing around. Unfortunately, they had left the garden area behind and the wall texts had changed accordingly. "Well, not _these_ walls, obviously. But on the ones before, in the corridor leading to the, um, the garden."

"Hmm. I assume that my designers simply took a liking to the poems for some reason and chose to include them."

Yugi slanted a glance at him. "You didn't select them yourself?"

"Much as I hate to disappoint you -- Sadly, I must." That unfairly attractive smirk was once again lurking in the corners of Yami's mouth. "I'm sure I must have approved their usage at some point..." Letting the sentence trail off, he shrugged which only served to draw attention to his broad shoulders. "It's a lucky happenstance that the texts are actually appropriate for our fictionalized account of the Lost Pharaoh's life. If, of course, your theory is correct."

For some reason, Yugi got the feeling that Yami was toying with him. But he couldn't put his finger on exactly how -- or why. There was definitely a hint of ... _something_ lurking behind those lapis colored eyes, like some private joke that only Yami was aware of. Yugi found it almost as intriguing as it was frustrating. And why did he keep getting hung up on Yami's eye color? For some strange reason, Yugi kept expecting them to be brown... Once again, he wrenched his mind back to their conversation.

"So, it's just _chance_ that you have poetry newly attributed to an obscure -- some even claim apocryphal -- pharaoh painted on your walls. In a hotel filled with exhibits _dedicated_ to said obscure pharaoh."

Bright eyes dancing with mischief, Yami grinned. "Well, when you put it like _that_ \--"

Yami's smile took Yugi's breath away. It lit up Yami's face like a ray of sunlight and suddenly he wasn't simply handsome, he was beautiful. Yugi's fingers twitched with the urge to touch him, to cup Yami's face and draw that gleaming smile down to meet his eager mouth--

Giving himself a stern mental shake, Yugi vowed to schedule some 'personal time' once he'd returned safely to the privacy of his hotel room. This was ridiculous and it only seemed to be getting worse. Had it really been that long since he'd been with anyone?

Looking around, Yugi noted that they had returned to the public area of the hotel. The wall paintings had fewer intimate domestic scenes and more of the pharaoh smiting his enemies and making offerings to the gods. While the scenes themselves were fairly standard, even a quick glance at the accompanying inscriptions left him momentarily breathless. He had never seen more than a scrap of anything that could have served as the basis for the texts, and most of that had been in the family collections: paintings and sketches of long-lost carvings and tomb paintings, the occasional _ostraca_ with scratched out notes left by some ancient builder or artist. Claims of artistic license and verisimilitude only went so far -- Yugi had to know where these impossible images were coming from. He couldn't believe that someone, no matter how talented, had dreamed up things that felt so real, so right. Something inside him was screaming that these inscriptions had a deeper meaning than even he realized. He had to _know_...

"What about all the rest of your exhibits?" Yugi demanded, determined to focus on the impossible wall paintings and not the alluring man responsible for them. "All these texts about the pharaoh's life... At first I thought they were just made up, but they're too detailed, too _real_. If you have sources that no one else has access to--"

"Surely you exaggerate, Yugi. Most of these inscriptions are similar to those found all over the monuments of Egypt," Yami said, with a dismissive gesture. "They glorify the pharaoh's accomplishments, praise his rule, and wish him a long earthly reign -- and an even longer one in the afterlife, for the funerary texts. The usual. We've merely changed the names in the cartouches and created a pastiche of glorious deeds for him to take the credit for."

That was fairly typical of many actual inscriptions, so Yugi couldn't argue with that. But... His eyes narrowed as he focused intently on Yami, alert for anything that might betray a lie. "But some of these inscriptions are unlike anything I've ever seen. And yet they all have an authenticity to them that is undeniable."

"And you believe this is due to these 'hidden resources' you think I have?" Yami's tone was amused, urbane. And yet he didn't refute the accusation.

"Is it? If there is some historical evidence for the Lost Pharaoh that I haven't found... I _need_ to see it." Yugi could feel his heart pounding with an almost religious fervor. "Who knows what I might find? I could prove beyond a doubt that he existed, that the poems are his... Perhaps there are even clues to the whereabouts of his tomb!"

"I doubt that very much." An icy coldness had crept into Yami's voice, and his gaze was suddenly hard and distant.

Yugi didn't let that deter him. "Well, you never know. But even if there isn't anything about the tomb, just having more information about him would be... _indescribable_."

He knew he sounded like someone sighing over an adolescent crush, but he was too far gone to care. Just the thought of new information about Neferatemre thrilled him to his core. He was practically salivating just imagining getting his hands on it. Without stopping to consider the advisability of his actions, Yugi turned pleading eyes on his companion.

"Please," he said, earnestly. "You have no idea what this would mean to me." Without thinking, he reached out and laid a hand on Yami's arm. Lean muscle tensed beneath his fervent grasp.

To Yugi's surprise, instead of pulling away, Yami leaned closer. In a voice made of black velvet, he practically purred, "And what, dear Yugi, would you be willing to offer me in return?"


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning (?) for another of Yugi's fantasies. This one goes further than the last one... Um, if that's not your thing, you should probably just give this fic a miss.

Yami wasn't certain who was more shocked by his words: Yugi or himself. He hadn't meant to make such a suggestive comment so early in their acquaintance. But something about Yugi seemed to bring out the impish side of Yami's nature and he just couldn't resist. Now, with Yugi staring up at him with wide eyes, Yami was unable to find it within himself to regret it. Yugi's startled expression was simply too delicious.

"W-wha--?" Yugi stammered, only to be interrupted by a blur of blonde hair and enthusiasm calling his name.

"Yugi! There you are!" The blur resolved into a stocky young woman with pale blue eyes behind half-moon glasses and a smattering of freckles across her round cheeks. Hands on her hips, she scolded, "I've been looking all over for you, Yugi. We're going to be late for Dr. Kanekura's meet and greet if we don't hurry."

From the expression on Yugi's face, he had been _planning_ on just such an occurrence, but the woman wasn't taking no for an answer. She barely glanced at Yami before grabbing Yugi's arm and trying to drag him off, presumably to the aforementioned event. Only Yugi digging in his heels prevented him from being hauled away before Yami could offer a rain-check on their tour, which he immediately did.

Yugi's eyes brightened at the offer. "I'd love to. Thanks!"

"Tomorrow, then? Unless the conference will take up all of your time--?" Letting the question trail off suggestively, Yami stood hip-shot and tilted his head just so, well aware of the picture he made back-lit in the mouth of the corridor where it opened onto the brighter atrium.

The pose had the desire result, as Yugi stammered out something about _making_ the time even if it meant giving up sleep, then yelped as his friend (girlfriend? Hopefully not the latter) nearly yanked him off his feet when she took off again with his arm still firmly in her grasp, Yugi's complaint of " _Not so_ rough _, Rebecca_..." trailing after them.

Yami shook his head and let the grin that had been threatening to escape finally break free. _That was_ fun. He chuckled, his previous gloom barely a memory. He hadn't felt this alive in _decades_.

 _And to think_..., he mused as he turned and stalked toward the private elevator to his apartments, all but rubbing his hands in glee. _That was with our clothes still_ on.

o0o

The cocktail party was every bit as boring as Yugi had figured it would be. Rebecca refused to let him leave, so he suffered through it in silence, though he would much rather have continued his tour with Yami. Or gone back to his room and taken his earlier daydream to its inevitable conclusion. Or taken _Yami_ back to his room and...

"Yugi!" Rebecca's rather strident voice cut through the warm haze that had been taking over Yugi's thoughts; he blinked at her without comprehension until she sighed. "You haven't heard a word I've been saying, have you?"

"Sorry." And he was, a bit, though mostly just for being rude to a friend. "I think I'm still kind of jet-lagged."

" _Hmph_. We came in on the same flight, Yugi." She folded her arms and gave him a stern look, completely unimpressed with his excuse. "And _I'm_ not jet-lagged at all."

He rubbed the back of his neck. "Well... Some people recover faster than others?"

" _Some people_ ought to be networking," she reminded him. "Why do you think I dragged you here to begin with?"

Honestly, he hadn't quite figured that one out, but he wasn't going to admit it. She had always acted a bit as if she thought she was his minder -- or his mother -- at least once she'd gotten over her schoolgirl crush. Over the years since they'd first met, Yugi had fallen into the habit of letting her boss him around when it came to office politics; he wasn't interested in learning to handle them himself, so it was usually just easier to follow her lead.

Resigned to his fate, he said, "Okay, so... Who should I be schmoozing?"

Rebecca favored him with a bright smile. "Come on! I'll introduce you."

o0o

Having survived the party with minimal trauma (Dr. Chono was there and she still had her infamous penchant for chasing the younger Egyptologists regardless of whether her interest was reciprocated, so it wasn't _zero_ trauma), Yugi finally made it back to his room. He'd been forced to take a circuitous route in order to avoid having Dr. Chono follow him (she had tried, but he'd managed to lose her by playing a quick game of musical elevators and then sneaking into the stairwell), and by the time he closed the door of his hotel room behind him, Yugi was exhausted. He took a quick shower -- amused by the decorative tiles in the _en suite_ , which were a lovely shade of _Eu de Nil_ and adorned with hand-painted images of tiny fish and aquatic plants in a darker blue -- and then fell into the massive bed with a tired _foomph_ of body meeting overstuffed cloud-top mattress and puffy pillows.

The sheets were high thread-count Egyptian cotton and glided like silk or, or _angel's breath_ or something equally decadent against his bare skin. He lay there, feeling the fatigue leech out of his body until he felt like he was floating. It was seriously the most comfortable bed he'd ever had the pleasure of laying on in his entire life. Yugi had a brief moment where he semi-seriously considered the logistics of stealing the bed, it was _that_ comfortable. Could he squish it into his luggage? Box it up and pretend it was a really big souvenir? Maybe if he got on Yami's good side, the hotel owner would give him the bed as a going away present?

Yugi tried not to notice the way his stomach clenched at the thought of going away and leaving Yami behind. That was ridiculous; they'd barely known each other an hour at the most. No way had Yugi gotten that attached so quickly. Still... He was pretty sure the only thing that could improve this bed was the presence of Yami in it along side him.

Pushing away those thoughts to consider tomorrow (or never), Yugi melted into the mattress and let his mind drift back to the garden he'd stumbled onto earlier in the day... and the sensual fantasy his overactive imagination had conjured up of his royal lover. As before, Yugi felt as if he were being drawn into something more vivid than a mere dream. Everything felt so intense, so _real_...

o0o

He could feel the silken lapping of the water against his body where he stood waist-deep in the small pool. The air was heavy with the perfume of the plants; he could feel his eyelids drooping with the almost soporific effect of the fragrance combined with the warmth of the air and water. And then that warmth was joined by the heat of another body -- firm and undeniably male -- pressing against his, and all thoughts of sleep fled Yugi's brain.

"My Pharaoh..." Yugi sighed, leaning back into the strong body behind him. The pharaoh's arms came around him, holding him effortlessly as Yugi let himself sink into the embrace.

A deep chuckle rumbled through the pharaoh's chest. "Happy to see me, beloved?" Questing hands ventured lower, gliding over Yugi's wet skin and trailing heat in their wake, to grasp the evidence of his 'happiness.' "Hmm, it would seem so."

(Yugi would have groaned at the joke, but the part of him not caught up in the fantasy knew that his own brain was to blame so he ignored it in favor of focusing on the long brown fingers closing around his awakening erection. His hand worked beneath the sheet, imitating the actions of his imaginary lover.)

"I'm always happy to see you," Yugi said, stretching an arm up to loop around his lover's neck. Obligingly, Pharaoh bent lower and nuzzled behind Yugi's ear while his clever fingers tugged and glided with just the right amount of pressure to make Yugi see sparks. He gasped, arching his back and thrusting into that perfect grip. "Especially when you do _that_."

"Then I suppose I should do _that_ \--" Pharaoh suited actions to words, making Yugi mewl with desire. A smug amusement crept into the pharaoh's deep voice when he continued. "--more often, as I always want you to be happy to see me."

"You've nothing to fear on that count," Yugi assured him, panting as the pharaoh's hand worked him faster, bringing him closer to the edge. "I--"

Whatever he might have said was lost to incoherence as the Pharaoh's other hand found a particularly sensitive spot and Yugi tumbled over that edge into white-hot pleasure.

o0o

It wasn't until he was beginning to drift off into deeper sleep that Yugi realized: the pharaoh in his dream had sounded exactly like Yami King.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As I mentioned elsewhere, my garden exploded with cucumbers, tomatoes, and squash, so I've been canning like a mad woman. Which has left little time for writing, though it has stocked my pantry quite well. :) Still, I managed to finish this chapter so I'd have something to publish this week and keep my streak going. \o/


End file.
